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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24265225">Dashboard Lights</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/quillvine/pseuds/quillvine'>quillvine</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Criminal Minds (US TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Date Night, Dinner, Dorks in Love, F/M, I just like Hotch okay, Love, Stakeout, True Love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:15:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,794</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24265225</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/quillvine/pseuds/quillvine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Date Night Interrupted</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aaron Hotchner/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>120</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dashboard Lights</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I was a little scatterbrained when I wrote this and honestly I have no idea if this makes any sense or not.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The dashboard lights light up your face as you drive down the highway. You and Aaron are going up to the city for a date night. Honestly when you first met the man you didn’t think you were ever going to see him again. You were never a one night stand kind of girl but that night but for some reason, it just felt right. How were you supposed to know that man would be your sexy new unit chief. Not that you minded. Oh no, you definitely did not mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Out of the corner of your eye, you see Aaron turn to glance at you. He can tell you're thinking too hard. He is too. You can tell by the crease between his brow. You reach over to pat his knee gently. You know what’s worried about, worried that the phone will ring, worried that your life will be put on hold to save someone else's. You don’t mind, neither of you do, but a small part of you is wishing with all its might that tonight is not the night you get called away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re thinking too hard.” He tells you.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You scoff. “So are you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know.” He says “But relax, it’s our night off.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Only when you do.” You fire back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He grins at that, you’re not wrong. Sometimes it seems like the both of you never stop running around trying to save everyone. Although you’re glad the two of you are doing it together, there’s no one else you would rather have out in the field with you. Although, Emily is a close second.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, are you excited?” You ask him with a silly smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For date night?” He asks “Of course.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me too.” You say sinking into the seat of the car. “It’ll be nice, some time to ourselves, away from the team. Where you don’t have to have your serious boss face on, even if it is so sexy.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The hand on Aaron’s knee migrates to his thigh and Aaron chuckles at your antics. That is until your hand drifts even higher. It’s not your fault, that boss face of his is really sexy and you just can’t help yourself. The best part is when he gets all riled up on a case but has to keep a straight face because you just know that when you guys get home he’s gonna need some stress relief. You bite your lip at the thought and squeeze his thigh playfully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop it I’m driving.” He tells you with a halfhearted glare as the GPS beeps signaling him to turn at the next exit. “See look, you almost made me miss the exit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe I’ll make you miss dinner too, we can skip straight to dessert.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t tempt me, I’m not above turning this car around”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>&amp;</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Dinner is great, or at least the part of dinner that you get to enjoy. It was a pain in the butt to get reservations for this place, you had to make them months in advance. But when JJ went with Will for their anniversary and couldn’t stop raving about the food you knew you had to try it out. Oh, boy was she right.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You and Aaron have a blast, sharing little bites of your entrees with each other. Laughing over shared memories of Jack, shared memories of the team, shared memories of your love. Your fingers are laced together on top of the table, Aaron’s thumb stroking the back of your hand softly. It’s a little impractical to eat your meal like that but neither of you wants to let go.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aaron looks good in the dim lighting on the restaurant, the shadows accentuating his jawline and cheekbones. As he looks down to his plate using his fork to cut another piece of his fish, his eyelashes catch your attention. They’re long and thick and oh God you really want to kiss him right now. Aaron looks up at you, no doubt feeling the weight of your eyes on his, and you blush and look away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even after so many years of being together, he can still make your breath catch, and your heart sutter when he catches you staring. When you look back at him, he’s giving you this goofy smile that really makes you want to devour him and you wonder if it would be entirely appropriate to ask for the check now or if there’s a way you could subtly devour him in the middle of the restaurant. Aaron wouldn’t mind, especially once he sees what you’re wearing underneath and then the two of you can-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then the phone rings. Looks like it’s check now. The both of you sigh already knowing who it is. As he answers the phone with a grim look on his face, you flag down your waiter and ask for your meals to be boxed and dessert to-go. You know it’s a little optimistic to think that your food will keep while you're gone, but JJ told you the dessert was to die for and you will have your sweet tooth satisfied dammit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You get out of your seat and feel Aaron slip his arm around your waist to lead you out of the restaurant. You grab your purse from the back of your chair, giving him a peck on the lips. As the two of you exit the restaurant and wait for the valet to bring the car out you let out a small sigh. Aaron gives you a small squeeze and a kiss on the head. He can tell you’re upset, the man knows you like the back of his hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You can’t help but feel guilty though, you love the job you do and you love the people you do it with. You know there’s some nasty unsub running around out there hurting innocent people. You know it’s a little selfish of you to want to just enjoy your night and have someone else worry about things for a change. But it’s a big bad world out there and it seems that you guys are the only ones who can do something about it, so you put on your big girl pants and try to tough it out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You can feel Aaron staring at you so your turn and give him a small smile. He smiles back and leans down to plant a kiss on your lips. It's slow and sweet and you just melt into him, drinking in the moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, it’s okay.” He says softly after you guys part. “We’ll have date night some other night.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The car pulled up to the curb and both of you settle into the front seats. You sigh again as he drives onto the highway, you don’t want this night to end. Glancing over at you he takes your hand in his, squeezing it tight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bring the dessert,” Aaron tells you. “Maybe we can eat it on the plane.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>&amp;</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You huff, blowing hot air on to your fingers. It’s too cold to sit in a car even if you did have the heated seats on. You would blame your lack of foresight but honestly, how were you supposed to know you were gonna be called away to someplace so cold? Aaron already gave you his blazer but you still feel like your fingers and toes are going to fall off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the driver's seat, Aaron shifts uncomfortably. You wonder if his butt is just as numb as yours. That’s the hazard with stakeouts you’re always uncomfortable. You’re either too cold or too hot and your knees hurt from being cooped up in a car for so long. Not to mention if you turn on the heated seat to try and warm up your thighs get all sweaty and gross and that's the last thing you need on a stakeout.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Screw the son of a bitch that led to this stakeout. You swear when you guys catch the UnSub you’re gonna punch him in the face for making you sit through this stakeout. Then, you’re gonna talk his ear off about how boring stakeouts are. No, you’re gonna have Reid talk his ear off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh god, this is so boring, why are we doing this? Stakeouts never amount to anything.” You groan as you try to bring circulation into your fingers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Over the coms Reid chimes in, “Actually, stakeouts that are pre-planned, like this one is, have a high success rate.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, okay, Reid we get it.” You grumble. “Can you tell me the probability of me getting my thighs to unstick from the seats?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You hear Aaron chuckle from his spot next to you. He puts a hand on your thigh patting it reassuringly. “We’ll have date night some other time.” He tells you.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You sigh happily and cover the hand on your thigh with your own. This man knows exactly what you’re mad about without even asking. The rational part of your brain tells you it’s because he’s a profiler, but deep down you know it’s more than that. It’s all those years together that have made you guys so in sync with each other. It's all the love you give each other that makes every waking moment with him blissful.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You guys sit a comfortable silence for a while, the street lights illuminate the car, basking the both of you in a golden glow. You have to admit, Aaron looks good. He looks softer in this light, younger. He still has his right hand on your thigh, his fingers tracing lazy circles into your skin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know this is a nice date.” Aarons says tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not a date honey.” You tell him with a roll of your eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It could be a date.” Aaron says, giving you a playful smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, what a nice time we’re having. Sitting in a car, at a stakeout, with the rest of the team in our ear.” You say sarcastically. “Aaron Hotchner you sure know how to woo them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You hear a chuckle over the comms. It’s Morgan. “Come on you two no one’s getting to home base tonight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You all laugh at that and in a rare moment of good-natured humor Aaron quips, “Hey we all know there's not enough room in the car for that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You dissolve into giggles that really seem inappropriate for the situation. You know that you really need to be quiet. The last thing that you should do on a stakeout is to draw attention to yourself. But no matter what Reid says, stakeouts never amount to anything, so you kick your feet up on the dashboard of the car and settle in for a long night. It’s date night baby.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Kudos and comments are always appreciated! If you enjoyed this try my other Hotch fics <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/238857135"> Together Forever </a> and <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23997256"> Want It </a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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